Event Round-Up: Collaborative Approaches to Climate Change Research in Scotland

Kate Symons - 01/10/25

Event Round-Up: Collaborative Approaches to Climate Change Research in Scotland

Scotland Beyond Net Zero and the Scottish Funding Council hosted a dynamic and inspiring event – ‘Tackling the Climate Emergency’, focusing on collaborative climate change research in Scotland. Held in the Edinburgh Futures Institute, the day was packed with thought-provoking discussions, showcasing Scotland’s research community’s commitment to tackling the climate emergency.

Welcome
The event kicked off with a warm welcome from Professor Christina Boswell, Vice Principal for Research at the University of Edinburgh, alongside Professor Irene McAra-McWilliam from the Scottish Funding Council. They highlighted Scotland’s leadership in fostering collaboration between universities, industry, and the government. Professor Calum Semple, Scotland’s new Chief Scientific Advisor delivered a powerful keynote speech, emphasising the seriousness of Scotland’s purpose in addressing the climate crisis. He reiterated the Scottish Government’s commitment to making this issue a top priority.

Showcase Sessions
Session One
Chaired by Professor Gary Hutchison of Edinburgh Napier University, the first showcase session emphasised sustainable innovation in food systems and water resources. Highlights included:
• Professor Baukje de Roos discussed transforming food systems to be sustainable and healthy.
• Professor Jaime Toney shared insights from the GALLANT project, showcasing Glasgow as a “living lab” for exploring climate justice and adaptation.

Funders Panel
The funders’ panel, hosted by Professor Nick Forsyth from the University of Aberdeen, brought together representatives from major research councils. They discussed their commitment to supporting transdisciplinary research that include arts, humanities, and sciences to tackle climate issues in innovative ways.

Poster Session
Scotland Beyond Net Zero has awarded 19 seed fund projects (you can read more about the projects here and here). We will share posters from the session soon!

Session Two
Steered by David Lott from the Scottish Funding Council, this session explored engineering and design innovations, with highlights including:
• Dr. Julio Bros-Williamson presented on high-density building designs aimed at reaching net-zero targets.
• Stephen Good from BE-ST offered insights into smarter transformations within the built environment.
• The Failure Modes of Engineering team highlighted feminist approaches to engineering for climate.

Themed Networking and Session Three
Post-lunch networking focused on critical themes like food, green finance, and energy transition. The final showcase session, chaired by Claire Ordoyno from SPEERI, delved into energy transitions and sustainable livelihoods with speakers like Professor John Underhill from the Centre for Energy Transition at the University of Aberdeen.

Closing Remarks
The day concluded with remarks from Professor Chris Pearce from the University of Glasgow, reinforcing how Scotland’s research and innovation is making impactful contributions nationally and internationally, despite the country’s modest size.

Conclusion
The event was a significant antidote to current political controversies around climate issues, demonstrating that Scotland is punching above its weight on the global stage through commitment, innovation, and collaboration. Overall, ‘Tackling the Climate Emergency’ underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in climate research and showcased Scotland’s pivotal role in driving global change.

You can access the full agenda with all speakers here: Agenda – Tackling the Climate Emergency